Carlisle United have made former Bradford defender Nathaniel Knight-Percival their seventh summer signing.

The centre-half was at Brunton Park this afternoon to finalise his move as the Blues continue to rebuild their squad.

Knight-Percival has been a target for much of the summer and United have finally got the deal over the line.

The 32-year-old has signed a one-year deal and will add further experience to their back line after the earlier capture of Byron Webster.

Blues boss Steven Pressley spoke of his delight at landing the centre-half. He said: “He’s a player we’ve been pursuing for some time.

"It’s been a little bit of a slow-burner. I met him about six weeks ago, I’ve done a lot of work on him and got a really good feeling from him.

“He’s had a number of options and things to consider, especially as he has a wife and a small child. He took the summer to decide on what he felt was the right move.

“I then invited him up here last week to have a look around at what we could offer, and that cemented it. He was hugely impressed with the facilities here, the training pitch, the gymnasium, the changes we’ve made to certain aspects within the club, and thankfully he informed us this week he’d be joining us.

“I think it’s a great bit of business for the club, because like Byron he’s 32, if you look at his history over the last three years he’s played an enormous amount of League One games, virtually an ever-present, and you’ve got to consider during those years they [Bradford] reached the play-offs. He ticks many boxes.

“He’s also a good character and I think he’ll fit well within the squad."

Knight-Percival links up with United ahead of their first pre-season friendly against Hibernian next Tuesday.

The left-sided centre-half was a free agent after being released by the Bantams following their relegation from League One last season.

He made 41 appearances, scoring three goals, in the 2018/19 campaign, and a total of 135 in three seasons at Valley Parade, including a regular place in the side that reached the play-off final in 2017.

The 6ft defender had previously spent two seasons with Shrewsbury after a stint of similar length with Peterborough. That followed a route through non-league which began with Histon and continued at Wrexham.

He was involved in the Shrewsbury side that earned League Two promotion in 2015, but has played most of his football at higher levels since joining Posh in 2012, including a season in the Championship.

He also helped Peterborough win the 2014 Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

He becomes the third centre-half to join Carlisle this summer after Webster and Jon Mellish, the Cumbrians moving to fill the void left in the position by Anthony Gerrard, Gary Liddle, Macaulay Gillesphey and Peter Grant.

The focus will inevitably now return to the front of United’s side where numbers remain short. Manager Pressley has already said that Carlisle’s main attacking additions will be loan players, with a main Championship target expected to join later in pre-season.

They are also running the rule over two striker trialists in Miles Storey and Elliott Reeves, along with defender/midfielder Tyrone Duffus. A fourth trialist, centre-half Michael Chambers, is now training with another club.

The Blues also have targets in midfield as they try to add more numbers to their squad and are believed to be close to a loan signing from a top-flight club in that department.